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Bottling Info

<Info from bottle necktag> Four Roses produces ten distillate flavors each year and ages each flavor individually in new white oak charred barrels. Each flavor is distinctively different, but floral and fruity aromas and the smoothness and mellowness of their tastes characterize all flavors.

Jim Rutledge carefully selects one of the ten Bourbon flavors 4 Roses produces for their Four Roses Single Barrel and the Bourbon connoisseur. The additional flavor characteristics of this Bourbon include notes of honey and maple syrup plus hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Each barrel is sampled and carefully selected for its superior quality prior to being processed and hand bottled. Each bottle has a handwritten label noting the warehouse and the racking location in which the barrel was aged. Each barrel fills about 235 bottles with 100 proof Bourbon, and the inventories of this select Bourbon are limited. Enjoy your experience with our Single Barrel Bourbon.

Most prevalent at the front of the pallet. Vanilla and caramel or honey carry through. Unavoidable notes of hay and corn stand out and distract from a more subdued oak and tobacco profile. Beautiful auburn color and a very rich and satisfying mouth feel.

Finish:

Moderate finish but with lingering hay, corn, oak and tobacco, you are left with a fairly dry impression.

Overall:

At 100 proof, I wouldn't want this as an everyday bourbon but the burn is not unmanageable. As a personal preference, I don't appreciate the flavors of hay and corn. I tend to associate these notes with underaged product I suppose. Balance is the biggest issue here. Not awful but certainly not a top choice for me.

I don't have a great sense of smell. My wife, though, is not a fan of the smell, but she also does not care for most bourbons.

Taste:

I typically drink this bourbon in a Glencairn glass. The different shape seems to cut the alcohol-ish bite that I get from drinking it in an old fashion glass. Regardless, this bourbon is initially very strong, but mellows out with some spice and notes of honey.

Finish:

Very long finish, but well balanced. A slight spice that I can't put my finger on (nutmeg?), but I do appreciate the consistent honey taste throughout the sip.

Overall:

Definitely a solid bourbon for the money. I appreciate the complexity of each sip, and the lengthy finish. The slightly higher alcohol content also helps to pack a punch. I had this bottle for my &quot;higher&quot; end of bourbons at the time. This is not a bourbon that I would drink every day, but this will definitely be in my rotation of bourbons for special occasions and for when friends come over. Get a bottle and enjoy!

The first bourbon that I could actually detect obvious sweet notes on! I've got a huge sweet tooth so that got my attention immediately. Very sweet with strong amounts of maple syrup and molasses. Definitely get a slight alcohol bite as well. Maybe some fruity notes, but overall it's molasses and maple syrup to me.

Taste:

Definitely 100 proof! That being said, you can hold it in your mouth without it becoming too harsh at any point, very very smooth. Fairly strong alcohol bite right away but quickly gives way to a spicy sweetness. Lingering spiciness backed by alcohol...a bit of grainy flavor. The molasses and maple notes definitely play a role in the overall flavor. Maybe some grape flavor blended with floral notes? This is my third tasting, and the first two times were predominantly honeyed floral flavors blended with spice and maple syrup. You taste something new every time, it's an incredibly dynamic bourbon!

Finish:

Very pleasant! Warming and spicy, has a great blend of sweetness and spice. Maybe a slight nutiness? Very long lasting finish, and pleasant the entire time.

Overall:

The only way I can describe this bourbon is the way I described it the first time I sipped it: &quot;This is the best bourbon I've ever had!&quot; Bear in mind I'm quite inexperienced with trying whiskeys, but I have had a few bourbons, namely Buffalo Trace, Larceny, Knob Creek, Maker's Mark, Jim Beam White Label (bleh!), and Gentleman Jack. This stands head and shoulder above all of them, with Maker's Mark being my previous favorite. The overall flavor, depth, smoothness, and quality is the best I've had thus far. Definitely recommend it to anyone and everyone, experienced or not. Previously I would have recommended MM to people as an introductory bourbon, but Four Roses Single Barrel is making me re-think that!

Vanilla...Oak...Fruityness like apples...Maple syrup...A bit of alcohol in behind..

Taste:

Fairly complex...The standard bourbon vanilla/corn sweetness/oak combo but then a mingling of fruits (like apples and pears) along with some rye spice...

Finish:

This stuff has some viscosity,so the finish definitely lingers.I get all the things from the beginning of the intial taste...Then fading into the rye spice and added oak with a lingering apple taste...Very nice...

Overall:

This is a very good bourbon...Better than Small Batch with amplified flavour.This is definately NOT for swilling,Jim Beam is for doing that,this is for savouring and taking ones time.Also,I suggest that you let this breathe in the glass for 5 or 10 minutes because you will be rewarded for the effort.I'm glad I picked this up...

This is the Single Barrel Limited Edition 2012, it's OESK (low rye I think) aged 12 years

Nose:

Quite light with some oak and charcoal

Taste:

Good taste, sweetish with an ashy and almond note. Definitely some of the trademark Four Roses fruity and floral character as well. Reminds me a bit of the best Jack Daniels Silver Selects but better I think.

Finish:

Hot in the finish even when let down with water.

Overall:

A good dram of whiskey but I can't really see why this is $30.00 more than the regular single barrels of this brand. It's good but isn't worth that extra money in my opinion.

I didn't catch a lot of nose on this bottle until I was about half way through the glass. Takes a while to show its true colors. Nose gives toffee at the end with candy and maple syrup at the beginning

Taste:

Just an exceptional taste from this bottle. I've had the higher proof FRSB before but this 2009 100 proof is just the sweet spot. There is no burn at the front or the back end of this bottle. It's so sweet but not over poweringly so and it has this velvety texture to it. Jim Rutledge picked a fantastic barrel on this one with syrup, toffee, and a light vanilla oaky flavor.

Finish:

The finish lasts quite a long time. Not like a Stagg or Van Winkle long but for an under ten year bourbon this finish lasts an eternity. The sweetness will crawl all the way back to your tongue and end with a soft oaky flavor that lingers. Just awesome!

Overall:

Overall this bourbon (Especially the lower proof 2009 version) will be a staple to sip on in my bunker. No need for a mixer or even more than one ice cube here. Just a fantastic quality bourbon and you can't beat the price for what you get. I'm so much more impressed than I thought I would be. Well played FRSB!!!

Rye grain, tea, citrus, cinnamon, ginger, oak, and vanilla all waft up and hint at what is to come. Did I mention that there a pleasing floral element here too? The alcohol is subdued giving this particular bottle an almost herbal like quality.

Taste:

An opening subtle and slightly creamy sweetness that is interesting in its own right....... from the barrel to be sure, but also from the corn, and I claim, even from the rye. At mid-palate there is a burst of cinnamon, ginger, and rye spice that warms the mouth from there back.

Finish:

Although 100 proof, the alcohol, by way of evaporation in the back of the throat, only serves to amplify the spices, never intruding upon the lingering sweetness. A very balanced and long lasting finish.

Overall:

A complex bourbon because the sweetness, the spices, the citrus, the wood, and the alcohol work together smoothly. A balanced bourbon because the sweetness never allows the spices to take over completely. A great bourbon because there is a subtlety in the way that the 100 proof is controlled by the spices and a bit of the tannins. For my less than $40, nothing else comes close. I freely confess Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon has my number!! It is among the best bourbons available, irrespective of cost!

Im sorry, folks. This high proof cask strength FR is awful. It is a brandy and not bourbon. Light flavors and nose. GIANT ETHANOL empty taste with a funky aftertaste...and aftertaste I get from all four roses. jimmy is a great guy but all his bourbons have a funny aftertaste. Mariage has bolder flavor but that aftertaste...my brother picks it up as well even with mariage, single barrel, and the Small Batch sitting side by side...and then again at my favorite whisky bar in chapel hill. I even bought a limited edition of Small Batch signed by Jimmy and that one wasn't drinkable for me. I gave my bottles away. Look it must be a genetic malformation of my tastebuds. I'd love to talk to FR about it, in fact.

Finish:

For this single barrel, ETHANOL. no flavor. FR hasn't mastered making a strong bourbon with flavor yet, like Bookers or even Knob Creek. All varieties of FR have an odd aftertaste FOR ME. Try it and you will see what I mean..grain quality? I just dont know. Frustrating.

Overall:

Buy it since everyone else likes it. To me, it is gross. Hey, maybe the 100 proof is better but I doubt it (for me at least). I have tried about ten other brands and, in that, about twenty different whiskies and never had this problem. I hope no one takes this as a slam on Jimmy Rutledge and his company, but it is the truth I'm sad to say from the perspective of my own personal tastes.

Sweet still, strong at first then a smooth and very nice warmth to finish things off.

Overall:

This is the easiest drinking Burbon I have had yet. If I wanted to be sure that someone new would like burbon, I would serve them this. For me it doesn't have the complexity that other do, or mabye the flavors are too subtle for me, but this stuff is sweet and smooth as silk going down. I love it, though I didn't love the price.

Nice viscocity, nut overly thick. Complex spicy flavors that come more from the recipe than the wood. Not as sweet as some.

Finish:

[Long and very pleasant.

Overall:

This is a short review to be sure. Short story: Four Roses Single Barrel is one of the best I've ever had. I was disappointed with 4rose small batch, and this stuff is far superior. Drier than Knob Creek but every bit as good. I would say it's more complex and interesting than Knob Creek; but I still love KC.

My buddy brought me this bottle from CA to London, England and it was worth the trip.

I was wondering why my bottle was double the price and I think it's because it's retailer-selected from a barrel tasting: it's got a D&amp;M stamp on it.

We tried it head-to-head with Woodford, MM and Knob Creek and it was an all round nicer drinking experience.

We then tried it against some Single Malt scotch (Ardbeg - a very highly regarded Islay Malt) and the FR knocked it into a cocked hat. Blimey the scotch tasted like medicine in comparison! All that iodine from the seaweed.

As for the FR - love it love it love it. Looking forward to the next barrel.

I smell corn witha touch of pepper and an arromatic quality, almost like cedar.

Taste:

Sort of like hot apple pie at first, then a rush of MANY subtle flavors, a chili pepper taste in there too. Very sopisticated.

Finish:

Like a record that skips at the end-keeps going. Intense, but not overbearing.

Overall:

I almost left the store, when I seen they had this lonely bottle on the clearence table. Everybody here just keeps going on and on about Four Roses being their favorite sip, so I had to try. Glad I did. This bourbon is head and shoulders above the rest of what I consider the new kids on the block. It reminds me of the wy they USED to make bourbon. Years ago, this bourbon would have been no big deal, as many tasted at least this good, if not better. But in todays sorry state of bourbon, it is a guiding light of what the others should strive to be. Tip of the hat to the folks at Four Roses for this gem!

Buttery and sweet at entry with some spice fighting its way out. Not much alcohol burn at all.

Finish:

FR has one of the best finishes of any bourbon I've sampled. Very long, warm and soothing. This bourbon is ideal for cold weather.

Overall:

Overall, I love it! Have not had any FR for some time. I went back and bought two more bottles of this same barrel this week. This is definitely one of the best bourbons on the market for the price. I highly recommend giving it a try, or re-visiting an old favorite.

Nose is of caramel, some honey, maple syrup, dried flowers, light eucalyptus, some oak and cinnamon

Taste:

Taste is maple syrup, some fruit and honey, light mint, nutmeg

Finish:

This is a pretty smooth bourbon and doesn't have any real burn but just a long warmth that is quite enjoyable

Overall:

After reading several people comment on this stuff at RateBeer I had to pick it up. The price tag was little hard to swallow but this is very good. Kinda kicking myself that I didn't find this site earlier on. :-(

Glencairn Glass:
Sweet floral and some fruits (banana, pears, and melons). There is a little spice, and at the tail end there is some fermented yeast. The yeast gives way to processed tobacco like a camel unfiltered cigarette

Glencairn Crystal:
More yeast up front, then lots of floral, but no banana.

The floral is defiantly muted and the fermented yeast is much more prevalent. The processed tobacco is also there.

Taste:

Glencairn Glass:

Very nice, some sweet sugars and then a nice blend of floral and fruits. There is a touch of banana again with the pears and the melons. The spice then some in and then more fruits. The lavender is strong to me.

Glencairn Crystal:
Sweet and then floral.. 10 seconds in the fermented yeast is there and then tobacco mixed with floral. I begin to taste some light leather and then the alc comes in and the floral returns.

Finish:

Glencairn Glass:
Floral, melon and pear. The spice is light, but noticeable. The burn is light. Very floral and the floral (lavender) stays for the long run on the finish.

Glencairn Crystal:
Big lavender and then light leather and tobacco.

Overall:

Glencairn Glass:
This is good. Probably the best SB I have ever had. Still to floral for my tastes, but for those that are FR1B fans, this will be a favorite.

Glencairn Crystal:
I like this better in the glass Glencairn than the crystal Glencairn. The crystal brings out he negatives more than the positives.

Ripe, fruity, grabs the nose forcefully. The nose tells you to strap yo sef in yo seat. Just delicious. Thick, it is, and bracing. It belongs to its own self. I like it too much!!

Taste:

Hot, sweet, spicy, not even a hint of subtlety......and it don't suffer from it some atall!! The sweet sneaks stealth like and lingers until the spice pushs it aside. Flavors flit first this way then that, finding those hidden corners in yo mouth that ain't been this excited since Uncle Jake did his last barbeque at the Methodist Homecoming!

Finish:

Knows its business.

Overall:

As I walked out in the Street of Laredo, as I walked out in Laredo one day........yep, this bourbon deserves the best cowboy song ever wrote........I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen.

Hell, y'all, I'm gone give you the whole song so it will help you to be a better bourbon drinker..........here it is!

Streets of Laredo
by Francis Henry Maynard (1876)
As I walked out in the streets of Laredo,
As I walked out in Laredo one day,
I spied a young cowboy wrapped up in white linen,
Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay.

&quot; Oh beat the drums slowly and play the fife lowly;
Sing the Death March as you carry me along.
Take me to the valley, there lay the sod o'er me,
I'm a young cowboy and know I??ve done wrong.&quot;

&quot; I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy.&quot;
These words he did say as I boldly walked by.
&quot; Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story;
Got shot in the breast and I know I must die!&quot;

&quot;My friends and relations they live in the Nation:
They know not where their dear boy has gone.
I first came to Texas and hired to a ranchman,
O I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong.&quot;

&quot;It was once in the saddle I used to go dashing:
It was once in the saddle I used to go gay.
First to the dram house and then to the card house,
Got shot in the breast and I'm dying today.&quot;

&quot;Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin;
Get six pretty maidens to sing me a song.
Put bunches of roses all over my coffin,
Put roses to deaden the cods as they fall.&quot;

&quot;Go gather around you a group of young cowboys,
And tell them the story of this my sad fate.
Tell one and the other before they go further,
To stop their wild roving before it's too late.&quot;

&quot;Go fetch me some water, a cool cup of water
To cool my parched lips,&quot; then the poor cowboy said.
Before I returned his spirit had left him
Had gone to his Maker, the cowboy was dead.

We beat the drum slowly and played the fife lowly,
And bitterly wept as we bore him along.
For awe all loved our comrade, so brave, young, and handsome,
We all loved our comrade although he'd done wrong.

Now, don't that tear yo heart right out and make you want to take another sip for our fallen comrade!

Brown Sugar is the predominant note. Medium viscosity, some good clove and excellent honey. Not too hot, no big burn, comforting heat. Refined. Round and quick to please.

Finish:

Short to medium in length. 15 heat 30-45-clean and dry. Heat surrounds the back of my tongue upward. No fancy lingering flavors, clean to the palette. Leather and tobacco layers the bottom of the glass, nicely balanced.

Overall:

Fine bourbon, not overly complex, although simple for my taste. Lean, not at all robust and quite delicate. It is actually rather feminine for a 100 Proof SB. I am happy with it and would suggest it, but I liked the Pineapple nose and kick of the 120th Anniversary version better. Four Roses is unique unto themselves... well crafted.

Leather, figs, rye, and wood. Not as good as some past bottles, it seems to me. Still nothing to triffle at........it is not shy.

Taste:

Not as assertive nor as flavorful as past bottles to my palate. The flavors take some time to rev up and even then they are a bit more subdued than I was looking for. The sweetness thickens as it travels and becomes nice and rich.

Finish:

The finish is quite long and spicy.......but not hot.

Overall:

This bottle, while being an excellent bourbon, simply does not compare to the other FRSB bottles I have had. Doesn't seem as robust, as individualistic, as forceful, as unique as the others. Not ordinary by any means, but not extraordinay either........pains me to write this, because FRSB stood on a hill by itself in the past.........well, there is always the next bottle. Me and Barleycorn had to get out the crying towel today, last time we did that was when George Burns died!

Quite sweet and soft with similar tastes to the nose and a sweet woody element. Not really charred tasting, the red hots mint taste seems foremost. Medium body. Very mellow and integrated in flavor, carries the 100 proof effortlessly. If I took a guess I'd say the whiskey seems somewhat older than 2-3 years ago but it could be just the barrel.

Finish:

Decaying flavors from the taste and again little char flavor although it is there, but more subtle than you often find.

Overall:

I rate this very high, probably the best FRSB I've had. Definitely one of the best straight whiskeys available today. It shows finesse and elegance, relatively unusual for a 100 proof whiskey. In my view it needs to be consumed straight. Some bourbons, e.g., Knob Creek, shine more with rocks and a splash: the FRSB is complete unto itself. The bottles do vary while preserving of course a common element, but this current one is just about the best I've ever had, wish I had a case.

A nose redolent of a whore's perfume. It is almost too much, but it has you in its thrall. It is loud, but enticing. Wafting up are orange/lemon/citrus, flowers, rye, cinnamon, leather, tobacco, apple, and a hint of vanilla. The aromas from this barrel are a bit less aggressive and more subtle and seductive than the last. I think I like it a wee bit more!

Taste:

More polished than the nose. Rye spice presents but is held in check by a citrus sweetness and fruitiness that I suspect is abetted by the yeast. The taste is also less aggressive than the previous barrel. This one achieves a better balance that is exuberant but wonderfully contained.

Finish:

A finish that befits the nose and taste. It is not timid and speaks its piece, but never shouts or gets in a hurry. It goes down with great class, the spice and sweet perform a sophisticated duet that Johnny Mercer might have written..........complex, interesting, and oh, so memorable!!

Overall:

To my palate, a true delight. Nothing I can write can describe how good this bourbon is. All I can say, bourbon lovers, is that you be in the right frame of mind when you approach this bourbon. Be of cheerful countenance, ready to be pleased and FRSB will give you its best. I said it before and I say it again, 'when you love FRSB, you love bourbon!'

Rye and fruit warm your nose and tell a tale of a character in quest of his destiny. This nose is not ordinary, it says, 'I will be about my business'. It grasps your hand with an uncharacteristic firmness and says, 'follow me'. Yea of faint heart, stay behind. Fruit, rye, leather, mint, 'BOURBON', all challenge you with their Siren call. In my opinon, true spirit lovers cannont resist this call! It is irresistable! Your nose should know!! If your nose says, 'No', seek your pleasure elsewhere!

Taste:

Not as challenging as the nose proposes, but no pushover. It has a touch of fruity sweetness followed by an explosive spiciness that takes you where it wants to go. It is rich in flavor and the spice is true spice, it does not rely on pepper or alcohol to sustain itself!

Finish:

Anything which asserts itself with the authority of Four Roses Single Barrel will not depart the scene timidly. And so it is with FRSB. It gives up the ghost ever so slowly, not because it fears its death, but because it loves life so much. Ah, gods, let me go out so!!

Overall:

Take this bourbon on its own terms...........it will not give in to yours. By my lighs, bourbon friends, when you love Four Roses Single Barrel, you love bourbon!!

Very fruity and floral with citrus taking first chair. Lurking in the background is a hint of oak and vanilla. At last, the rye rises to affirm that this is indeed bourbon. A very pleasing and unexpected nose that is rich, complex, but different from traditional bourbon..............very nice in its distincitve aromas!

Taste:

Sweetness that is amplified by the floral and fruity elements. There is no other bourbon that I am aware of that tastes like Four Roses SB. This baby lives by itself in its own neighborhood. It is smooth and deceptive for a 100 proof bourbon. You think you are drinking a lower proof bourbon.

Finish:

Mr Jim Rutledge knows his business in making this bourbon! In my opinion, it is a unique and wonderful bourbon that stands completely by itself. It has a sweet----and a dry----finish at the same time! It lasts a while and is very, very, smooth.

Overall:

I would describe this bourbon as a gustatory delight. I know of no other bourbon that has the same flavor characteristics. It stands as proof of the variety of taste experiences available to the bourbon drinker. Unique, wonderful, what a beaut!!

Very mild-tasting, almost bland, smooth with no alcohol burn but without the traits I recalled from earlier bottlings (even version #2), it has a silky texture and the proof shows on the palate but is oddly restrained for a single barrel offering

Finish:

Very little finish, hints of spice (the trademark spearmint/cinnamon also found in Bulleit)

Overall:

This one did not impress. However being a single barrel I expect variations especially since Four Roses makes bourbons from different mashbills and yeasts. I'd try another bottle, certainly. This bottle and Bulleit show evident similarities except Bulleit is more assertive although a little "coarser". I blend them in my glass, the Bulleit adds missing character; the Four Roses Single Barrel adds proof and a certain sauveness, the combination is excellent and very "Four Roses".

Lightly flavored of corn and strong caramel. Spicey with pepper spices and nutmeg leading into soft vanilla and tobacco. No alcohol burn and just a little warmth in the mouth - even at 100 proof it is very smooth.

Finish:

Spicey and sweet at first leading to a little oak towrds the end. Long lasting finish that is very pleasant.